


Who To Be

by yinyoongi



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Cuban Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Hunk & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Hunk (Voltron) is so Pure, Japanese Keith (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Lance (Voltron) Angst, M/M, Minor Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-18 10:51:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11872818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yinyoongi/pseuds/yinyoongi
Summary: After the Paladins have unkowingly mentally abused Lance into becomjng a shell of himseld, one that has lost the shine in his eyes. The Paladins and Allura try to get him back, failing miserably.Until Keith confronts him.And confesses everything.[Inspired by mermaid-strippers langst fic on tumblr, which is the first chapter.]





	1. Chapter 1

Lance has learned many things after being a part of Voltron. He actually can learn things, especially things about people. especially about his team.

He learns that his jokes just get sighs and exasperated looks.

He learns his flirts just get a cold store and eye rolls.

He learns that he's just a placeholder for the real Blue Paladin.

He learns that he's not a sharpshooter, he's just someone who happened to be picked by Blue and that Voltron had to accept him.

He learns that Lance being Lance is one big fucking joke no one can take seriously. He learns that Lance being Lance will never be a useful thing to Voltron.

That he's pathetic, stupid, and he should just listen to Shiro and Allura's orders. That he, as some boy from Cuba he should just suck it up and listen to Keith when he becomes the Black Paladin. No matter how better he thinks his plan is. No matter how many times he wants to protest at becoming the Red Paladin, how he's not instinctive and quick and firey, no, that's not who I am.

Lance learns that people don't want Lance, they want someone better. Someone better than this stupid joke of a Paladin. So he changes. Lance no longer cracks a joke anymore or flirts with Allura, he follows orders solemnly without a response and whenever he messes up he stands there as Keith or Allura scold him, biting back tears and screams. He locks away Lance, the Lance that nobody wanted, and becomes the person he thinks is useful.

He skips the skincare routine that kept him in touch with his family, he barely thinks about his family and jist trains and trains, just like Keith did.

He's better now. He's the sharpshooter that everyone wanted, and can make a clean shot without even blinking. He's an expert marksman that obidiently follows the leaders' orders.

Everyone seems to appericiate him. Until Shiro comes back.

All his hard work had been for nothing, as Shiro becomes Black Paladin and now Lance is the Blue Paladin, but it's him and Red all over again. He's no longer friendly and goes with the flow, he's a carbon copy of Keith he thought everyone wanted. He can't find the key to the original Lance. It's too late when everyone notices.

At first they smiled and laughed in relief when Lance didn't make jokes or flirted with Allura, but now the Caatle is silent. The silence tears through them and leaves them in shock, merely staring at Lance when he replies with a numb "Yes sir," to Keith or Shiro and mechanically carries out his task. They haven't seen his smile in weeks, they hadn't heard him say anything more than a "Yes sir," in days. They hadn't seen the twinkle in his eyes for god knows how long.

They stare numbly as dinner is silent that night, as Lance scoops up his food solemnly and leaves. All he does is train and train, he's reached levels beyond Keith but still follows his orders.

Everyone is horrified at what they've done, desperately trying to return the Lance from before with dumb jokes and space goo, Allura invites Lance to spend some time with her.

Hunk bakes him space goo cookies or makes a pun.

Pidge creates toys and knick knacks that scream songs Lance loved.

Coran tells Lance the funny things that happened back when Altea was around.

Allura tries to have a beauty day with Lance, tells him to braid her hair or play with it.

Keith pushes him around, telling him that he needs to stop acting like this.

Shiro gently nudges him, tells him jokes and praises him.

But the damage they have done is permenant. 

Lance doesn't know who to be anymore.


	2. Confrontation

**Song: (Jungkook - Lost Stars Cover)**

Lance goes back to his room, hollow blue eyes stared at the ceiling for what seemed to be ages. The droning of his fan was the only sound in the room. Until the sound of his doors cut through the endless whir, Keith emerged, worry and endearment pasted on his face. 

He sat on the edge of Lance's bed, discreetly placing a light hand on his leg. Lance didn't notice. If they didn't notice his acting, notice what they were doing to him, why should he notice their attempts to right their wrongdoing. 

"Lance, I know you don't want to talk to me, or Shiro, or Allura, or any of the other Paladins after what we've done." 

"Yes sir, I don't want to talk." 

"Alright, you don't have to talk, you can listen, cry, scream...you get the jist." Keith took a deep breath, how was he going to get through to Lance? The damage seemed permanant. 

"I-I know we've done this, I know I played a part in this, but hear me out." For Lance, the words went through one ear and out the other. 

"I want you." 

"You already have me." 

"No...you." 

He knew what he meant, he knew exactly what he was refering to, he still stated. 

"Clarify." 

"I remember the Lance that would try and flirt with every pretty girl he saw, the Lance that flirted with me too, the smug look on his face that showed his confidence." 

"I remember the Lance that used to try and make jokes to lighten up a grim situation, it didn't always help, but A for effort." 

"I remember the Lance that wanted to be a sharpshooter for than anything, but this Lance is now good in everything, we all appreciated the aspects of that Lance." 

"I want that Lance back, I-." Lance still stared at the cieling. Keith stared down, clasping his hands together. 

"I loved that Lance." The Red Paladin sat up and faced Keith. 

"And I still love you, the sharpshooter that's flawless, the soldier that knows more than me." 

"Even if you change...I'll still love you, even if you're emotionless." Keith and Lance were now facing each other directly. A gentle hand on Lance's. 

"You don't have to pretend anymore." 

That broke both of them. Lance didn't know what Keith had noticed during Lance's changes. So Keith told him. 

"I noticed the lack of jokes, I was somewhat relieved, but at the same time, I knew something was wrong. I was the first to notice the change in demeanor, how your words sounded more disinterested and your actions more stiff. Just like a robot."

"I tried to say things to the other members, but they brushed it off as you becoming more mature. I was skeptical of what they were saying, because the Blue Paladin I knew wasn't exactly mature, or stiff, or robotic."

"Lance was pretending, changing for them, not himself, the selfish people who wanted another person to act like a leader in place of Shiro." 

"The moment I noticed your brown eyes no longer gleamed in pride, was the moment I felt my heart shatter." 

"I was the only person to notice this for a while." 

"But then, I realized that I was pretending not to notice, just to fit in with the rest of Voltron, so I didn't seem paranoid." Lance gripped Keith's hand harder, tears were coming down their faces. But the only trait that stayed with Lance through his pretending was his selflessness. "Don't cry, Keith." He looked up wearily at the Paladin. 

The gleam in his eyes had returned, with tears.

But it came back.


	3. Signs

After what happened yesterday, the two couldn't stop replaying that scene in their minds. They kept realizing over and over that they were closer now than they had ever been before.

Even more so, Keith had just told him he loved him. That he wanted to help heal his wounds...

No, more than that.

He wanted to be by his side for as long as possible, forever, maybe.

So far Keith was living up to his declaration.

Keith stayed back and helped the Alteans man the castle, giving out help to whoever needed it, mainly giving out tips on where his enemies were. 

Whenever Lance got back from a mission, he and Keith would stay in either of their rooms, tell him aboit what happened even though he saw everything. They'd crack jokes, and Lance was rusty. But sometimes, he came up with a pick up line so good that Keith actually became flustered.

The coy smiles they exchanged from across the dinner table made the Paladins happier that Blue and Red were getting along, but Pidge had her suspicions. 

As someone who was not romantically or sexually inclined, she sure could spot it.

The way they discreetly held hands under the table, or the hugs--and quick pecks on the cheek before Lance got into the Red Lion that you could miss if you blinked.

How the two had 'accidentally' worn each other's clothes when they left the laundry room. Acting indifferent when others noticed, like they had done this before.

There was even a sign before they even started to crush on each other.

It was when the Red Lion had chosen Lance after Keith became the Black Paladin before Shiro came back. This means that Keith and Lance had one of the strongest bonds next to Shiro and Keith.

It also meant that strong Paladin bonds will allow them to interchange lions. So in time, Lance could be a possible candidate for flying the Black Lion, and Keith flying Blue.

Involving both romance and positions, Gosh, all the clues were there. How could the others be so oblivious and play it off as 'getting along'? They were 'getting along' into each others pants!


	4. Theirselves

The Paladins finally got a break on Saturday, Hunk was in charge of picking the activity, he proved to be surprisingly good at this type of thing. "How about a movie night, I mean, Shiro could discuss the movie with Allura like he does any other day about battle plans. Keith and Lance could get along more, and Pidge could stay in her room and watch Doctor Who."

"Damn straight." Pidge added through a mouthful of nachos. "-and what about you and Shay?"

Hunk looked askance, fiddling with his fingers, "Language Katie, and, I guess she and I could cuddle too?"

"You guys better cuddle."

"Hunk if you love this girl, go get her." Shiro sang. Katie whipped her head around, turning to their leader, he smiled. "What are you waiting for?"

"Alright, alright, I'll try to make conversation."

"Good, now I'll be in my hanger watching Doctor Who if you need me." She turned to the elevator, going down. 

Lance and Keith looked at each other, embarrassment clouding their faces after hearing what Pidge had said.

"Well, don't just stand there awkwardly, turn on the movie" Lance demanded.

The two plopped themselves down on the lounge, a considerable amount of space left between them. Hunk turned to a movie, it was Ride Along. Lance immediately smiled at the screen, warming Keith's heart. The two noticed that Hunk had left to go get Shay. Lance looked at his boyfriend for a hot second before asking "Kiss?"

Keith snickered then obliged, leaning in.

Neither noticed the T.V. screen turn from a movie to a camera, where Pidge was sitting at her desk silently, looking at them with the happiest and smug face in space.


End file.
